With two series left, here's how Missouri baseball can make the SEC Baseball Tournament
If Missouri baseball’s season is going to include a postseason, it’s heading into what appears to be a must-win weekend.
For the final time before the conference expands with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma this summer, just 12 teams will advance to the SEC Baseball Tournament, which begins May 21 in Hoover, Alabama. Just two regular-season series remain until that line is drawn and two teams are cut from contention.
The Tigers (21-28, 7-17 SEC) are currently sitting in 13th place in the conference. Their next opponent is Auburn (23-24, 4-20), which is the only team worse off in the league than MU. Mizzou will close its regular season with a trip to Starkville, Mississippi, to face off against Mississippi State.
So, if it’s going to happen for Missouri …
It might just have to happen now.
Here is where Missouri stands with six SEC games remaining, and what Kerrick Jackson’s team needs to do to earn a berth to Hoover.
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Relevant league records in SEC Baseball Tournament race
9th place in SEC: Florida (10-14)
10th: Alabama (10-14)
11th: LSU (9-15)
12th: Ole Miss (9-15)
13th: Missouri (7-17)
14th: Auburn (4-20)
Which teams do Missouri baseball and its main challengers have left on schedule?
Heading into its Auburn set this weekend at Taylor Stadium, with the first game due to begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Mizzou is two games behind its closest challengers for a qualifying spot: LSU and Ole Miss.
Slightly further ahead, but also still in need of wins to ensure an SEC Tournament berth, are Alabama and Florida, which each stand three games ahead of Missouri.
LSU travels to face Alabama this weekend, while Ole Miss welcomes No. 2-ranked Texas A&M. and Florida hosts SEC-leading Kentucky.
LSU and Ole Miss face off in the final series of the season, while Florida travels to face Georgia and Alabama is on the road at last-placed Auburn. Missouri will travel to face Mississippi State, which hasn’t lost a home series against league opposition this season, on the final weekend of the regular season.
How do tiebreakers work?
In the event of a tied record at the conclusion of the regular season, here is how the final spot into the SEC Baseball Tournament, in order, will be decided:
Head-to-head record
Win-loss record against divisional opponents, if both in the same division.
Win-loss record vs. division winner, if both in the same division
Win-loss record against No. 1 overall seed
If tied, win-loss record against No. 2 overall seed, etc.
Coin flip
In order to make the tournament, under those rules, Missouri needs to finish with at least one of the following:
With a better record than LSU, as the reigning national champions won a series in Columbia earlier this season.
With the same record as Ole Miss or Alabama, provided Kentucky holds on to the No. 1 overall seed in the conference. Missouri is not in the same division as either the Rebels or the Tide. Mississippi and Alabama were swept by UK this season, while Missouri took one game in its home series against the Wildcats.
With the same record as Florida, as Missouri swept the Gators earlier this season.
Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas A&M are each still in the running to win the league title, which could play a role in Missouri's future. Mizzou was swept by Tennessee and Arkansas and did not play Texas A&M, meaning its best shot in the event of a tiebreaker is if the Wildcats finish with the No. 1 seed.
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This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Here's how Missouri baseball can make the SEC Tournament
